This pack is designed to help Homes for
Ukraine hosts navigate the support available to help welcome and settle their Ukrainian
guests. It is written by Newcastle City Council’s Active Inclusion Service.
Newcastle is a City of Sanctuary and
there are several organisations on hand to support refugees with specialist
advice. See https://newcastle.cityofsanctuary.org/
We appreciate
that we may not cover everything here, and if you cannot find the answers you
need, please contact us on ukrainesupport@newcastle.gov.uk.
As the host, you must pass background and
property checks and are asked to provide accommodation for a minimum of six
months. You should not charge rent and are not expected to cover the costs of
food and living expenses but can receive £350 per month for up to the first 12
months of sponsorship, which is administered by the local authority. This is
one monthly payment per residential address, regardless of the number of
individuals sponsored. Payments will stop when the sponsorship ends.
Guests are eligible for an interim
payment of £200 per person for subsistence costs when they first arrive. This
payment is administered by the local council and does not need to be repaid.
Please contact ukrainesupport@newcastle.gov.uk
when you have confirmation of visa and travel
details for guests, and when they have arrived in Newcastle, to help us process
these payments promptly.
If you are unable to meet and/or support travel from arrival to your
home, and your guest is unable to make this journey independently please let us
know: ukrainesupport@newcastle.gov.uk.
It is important to signpost your guests to local support
services and for them to make a claim for benefits as soon as possible, so they
can receive the support they need.
You can help your guests to integrate by supporting them to
access relevant services, such as:
·
Applying for Universal Credit and other benefits
·
Applying for a bank account for their benefits to be paid into
·
Supporting children to attend school
·
Attending English as a Second or Other Language (ESOL) classes
·
Accessing Healthcare
·
Contacting existing refugee support services in the city
·
Accessing legal advice
·
Support if things go wrong
Below is information for
you about services available in Newcastle, to help you support your guests to
access the services they need.
The person you are hosting should consider claiming Universal Credit for themselves and any children. They may receive more than the basic amount if for example, there is a disability or caring involved. Advice on how to claim is on www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/ and www.newcastle.gov.uk/universalcredit.
If they are over pension age (usually 66), they should claim Pension Credit instead. Find their pension age from www.gov.uk/state-pension-age. For children or dependent young people, they should claim Child Benefit. Those with disabilities – including their children, can claim disability benefits like Personal Independence Payment, and the people who look after them can claim carer’s benefits. Further details on applying for benefits are on: www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/support-for-those-fleeing-the-conflict-in-ukraine/.
For
people who need support to apply for benefits, DWP Jobcentres have
interpretation services available to help new arrivals with phone applications,
and Work Coaches in DWP Jobcentres can support people making claims
online. DWP staff are also delivering additional face-to-face
assistance to those who need it – including support to find work and
advice on claiming benefits – and will continue to do so.
If
you, the host, are claiming benefit, or if you are on a low income, you may also be entitled
to benefit. See www.gov.uk/browse/benefits
or www.newcastle.gov.uk/benefitinformation.
Most refugees will need to
set up a UK bank account for their benefits to be paid into. This could be a
current account with a high-street bank, or a fee-free basic bank account
without an overdraft facility. Information on accessing basic bank accounts is
available at: https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/banking/basic-bank-accounts.
The Admissions Team
coordinates applications for children of school age and aim to get all children
into school as soon as possible, however, this may not be the closest school to
their new address. Post-16 and early years (nursery) children need to approach
education settings directly, but if Admissions can advise who to contact if you
are unsure.
The Admissions Team will:
·
Contact sponsors
individually to complete applications with them over the phone where possible
(leaving a voicemail and/or email if they cannot make contact)
·
Advise on closest schools with places, or other
alternatives
·
Speak to schools to progress applications
quickly
·
Ensure schools hold places open if there is a
delay in arrival dates
·
In the event no school can offer a place, will
refer children to the Fair Access Panel who will allocate a place as quickly as
possible. This allows vulnerable children to be placed in a school ahead of
others on the waiting list
All children in Reception
to Year 2 will be eligible for universal free school meals; other year groups
may also be eligible depending on circumstances. Children may be entitled to
Free School Travel for the child if we cannot offer a close school - apply at https://www.newcastle.gov.uk/services/schools-learning-and-childcare/help-school-and-learning-costs/apply-free-school-travel.
Riverside Community Health Project, or the school itself, may be able to offer
support with new or second-hand uniform.
Please contact the
Admissions Team if you have any concerns or queries:
·
Email admissions.information@newcastle.gov.uk
·
0191 278 7878 (ask for School Admissions),
lines are open 9am – 2.30pm and if you email, we can ring you outside of these
hours
We are compiling a register of guests who wish to enrol in ESOL
classes. Please can you email ukrainesupport@newcastle.gov.uk with ESOL in the subject
line to register your guest’s interest. ESOL providers in the city will arrange
an information/assessment session in May to meet with learners, conduct
assessments and look to enrol people onto the correct provision.
Further information about informal community based ESOL
provision in the city and how to access this is available on the is available
at: https://newcastle.cityofsanctuary.org/
People arriving from Ukraine have full, free access to NHS
healthcare, including hospital services, GP and nurse consultations, urgent
care centres and injury units. Further information about accessing healthcare
is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukrainians-fleeing-war-granted-free-access-to-nhs-healthcare.
For urgent medical help – use the NHS 111 online service or call 111.
Although most NHS health care treatment
is free there are still some costs that are charged for, for example, to
receive medicines, dental treatment, and eye tests. Depending on individual
circumstances there may be help to pay these costs, details of these
arrangement can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/.
There are a wide range of voluntary
and community organisations that support new arrivals in Newcastle. Services
include drop-ins, English (ESOL) sessions and other support. You can find out
more about what is on offer here: https://newcastle.cityofsanctuary.org/resources-documents-and-things-that-may-be-of-use and
here: https://www.informationnow.org.uk/article/support-for-asylum-seekers-and-refugees/.
Please note Immigration
Advice in the UK is regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services
Commissioner. It is unlawful for anyone to provide unregulated immigration
advice or immigration services.
If your guests have any
queries about their immigration status please ensure that they seek regulated
advice.
Locally, the North East Law
Centre can offer specialist legal advice, including:
·
Immigration Law
Advice Line on a Wednesday 2-4pm: telephone 0191 230 4777
·
General
enquiries via telephone: 0191 230 4777 or email: reception@nelawcentre.co.uk
There is also a national
advice scheme: Ukraine Advice Project UK – Free UK immigration and asylum
advice for Ukrainians and their families from qualified lawyers (https://advice-ukraine.co.uk/)
that gives free one-off telephone legal advice.
While we hope your
placement goes smoothly from the start, there is support available if you or
your guests are struggling, or your placement breaks down.
The Housing Advice Centre (0800 1707 008 Monday to Friday,
8.30am to 12 noon and 1pm to 4.30pm, out of hours support Monday to Friday,
5.30pm to 8am and Saturday and Sunday, 8am to 8am) can help if you are in
rent or mortgage arrears, or homeless in a crisis. Details are online at: https://www.newcastle.gov.uk/services/housing/housing-advice-and-homelessness/what-do-if-you-need-housing-advice-or-are-homeless.
If you need support from foodbanks or
emergency food parcels, a full breakdown of emergency food in the city is
available at: https://www.informationnow.org.uk/article/food-banks-in-newcastle/.
For problems with benefits or budgeting you can get advice from advice services and
organisations in the city
listed in the document Where to get
advice in Newcastle at www.newcastle.gov.uk/benefitcontacts.
If you have a concern about an adult or a
child, you can report a concern via the Newcastle Safeguarding Children’s
Board. You can find out further information about how to report concerns
online: Report a
Concern - Newcastle Safeguarding
Information on the Council’s support for Ukraine is online: https://www.newcastle.gov.uk/our-city/newcastles-international-relationships/support-ukraine. If you are a sponsor in Newcastle and have any questions, please contact: ukrainesupport@newcastle.gov.uk.
InformationNOW provides extensive information on the support available
in the city and is regularly updated: https://www.informationnow.org.uk/